State senate candidates spar over jobs, finances

Thursday

Oct 11, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 11, 2012 at 11:02 AM

The candidates running to replace state Sen. Edith Prague in the state 19th Senate District accused each other Wednesday of being in the grip of wrong ideas on a range of issues, including the efficacy of a state jobs bill and municipal as well as state finances.

JAMES MOSHER

The candidates running to replace state Sen. Edith Prague in the state 19th Senate District accused each other Wednesday of being in the grip of wrong ideas on a range of issues, including the efficacy of a state jobs bill and municipal as well as state finances.

“Real leaders sometimes have to say ‘no,’ and that’s what I did,” Republican Chris Coutu said in defending his vote against the jobs bill, the only “no” vote the legislation received. Coutu is the state representative from the 47th House District. He accused Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy of favoring a few large businesses while raising taxes on all Connecticut businesses, most of them small.

Coutu made his statements during an hour-long debate in the Jacqueline Owens Auditorium at Kelly Middle School in Norwich. The Bulletin and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event. Bulletin Editorial Page Editor Ray Hackett led the “conversational” format in which each candidate got 25 minutes total to speak on several issues.

Coutu’s opponent, Democrat Cathy Osten, called opposition to the jobs bill “voting against jobs in Connecticut.”

“His vote was not a courageous vote,” she said. “It was an ideological vote.”

Coutu, a two-term state representative from Norwich, said Osten will not be able to resist the pull of ideology if elected 19th District state senator because of having been president of a Department of Correction union. Unions have impaired state government’s ability to solve problems in areas such as education and pensions, Coutu said.

“It’s been a disaster,” he said, adding that the opinions of teachers should count more than union leaders. “Who are we listening to in Hartford?”

Osten, who is first selectman in Sprague, defended her union history, saying she rendered important service to prison system employees.

“We put our lives on the line every day,” she said. “I stand by the middle class. We need to get back to a middle class environment. I’m unapologetic.”

Coutu called for 1 percent annual spending reductions and greater pursuit of Medicaid fraud, things he said would cut significant amounts from state budgets. He criticized Osten’s ideas for lower spending through things including reduced utility consumption.

“These are billions of dollars but my opponent wants to go line item by line item,” Coutu said.

Reducing management and projects requirements in the state departments of Transportation and Energy and Environmental Protection would free up more money for school construction and other large projects, Osten said.

Osten, a three-term first selectman, defended her town’s credit worthiness after Coutu cited a report from Moody’s Investors Service that said Sprague’s credit rating could be downgraded because of a waning reserve fund. The report did not take into account $400,000 in grant funding, she said.

Coutu contrasted that with his record on the Norwich City Council.

“In Norwich we never played fuzzy math,” he said. “It’s the danger zone.”

Coutu said Osten would have conflicts of interest, including if she remains as first selectman while being senator, saying Sprague would be perceived as getting preferential treatment on grants. Osten’s $53,000 state pension creates a conflict for her on the state budget, Coutu said, saying she would not jeopardize her pension for the good of the state.

Osten denied the possible conflicts, firing back that Coutu ignored conflicts in accepting campaign donations from insurance industry interests while a member of the General Assembly’s Insurance Committee. Coutu said the donations were small.

“Chris represents special interests,” Osten said. “He is conservative on right wing issues all day long.”

Coutu defended endorsements he’s received, including from the National Federation of Independent Business.

“They know me because I’m pro-business,” he said. “They’d never support her.”

Both candidates declined to endorse the idea of online gambling.

George Alden of Hebron was among about 60 people who attended the event.

“It was a good debate,” Alden said, adding that it didn’t change his mind about who he’s voting for on Nov. 6.